CHERRY HILL, N.J., Sept. 25, 2014, TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, today released its second annual TD Bank Checking Experience Index, which found that the banking experience of Americans has improved year over year. According to the Index, 86 percent of consumers rate their day-to-day experience with their checking account as excellent or very good (compared to 83 percent in 2013) and 85 percent of consumers say their bank is excellent or very good when it comes to accessibility (compared to 83 percent in 2013). The TD Bank Checking Experience Index is a nationwide survey of more than 1,500 consumers with checking accounts at various financial institutions.

Although consumers are generally happy with the services provided by their banks, 22 percent of survey respondents with a bank account say that over the last three months they have used alternative banking products such as check cashing services (12 percent), money transfer agents (11 percent) and payday loans (4 percent). When bank customers were asked why they used alternative banking products, 16 percent said they did not have a particular reason for using non-bank financial services.

“One in five consumers with a bank account are using alternative banking products, which could add needless cost to their monthly budget,” said Ryan Bailey, Executive Vice President, Head of Retail Deposit and Payment Products, TD Bank. “Consumers who are using these types of services should have a conversation with a banker to learn about less expensive financial products that can meet their everyday financial needs.”

Banking Behaviors Continue to Evolve Debit cards and online banking play central roles in the banking behaviors of today’s consumers. A large percentage of those surveyed reported that their experiences with debit cards and online banking are excellent or very good (92 percent and 91 percent, respectively). Of the 23 banking transactions that checking account holders report making each month, on average, 10 are debit card purchases and six are conducted through online banking.

Across all survey respondents, 60 percent of checking account owners said their debit card is an essential service. An even larger number of Millennials (74 percent) can’t imagine not having a debit card. When it comes to online baking, 51 percent of consumers cite it as their preferred channel to conduct checking account transactions.

While services like debit cards and online banking are both vital, the Index found that a personal connection remains important to consumers. When asked about the last time they had a question or concern regarding their checking account, the majority of respondents still rely on a telephone call or a visit to a bank location to have questions answered. However, behaviors are evolving. Telephone outreach for issue resolution grew almost 9 percent over the past year (34 percent in 2013 vs. 37 percent in 2014) and in-person resolution at a bank location declined by 15 percent (40 percent in 2013 vs. 34 percent in 2014).

Triggers for Switching Banks Include Life Events and Fees The TD Index data also reveals that fees and life events remain major triggers for changing banks. More than one third (38 percent) say they would close their primary checking account or consider leaving their bank because of fees. However, only eight percent of respondents had closed or switched their primary checking account in the past two years, down from 12 percent in the 2013. Of the eight percent of respondents who reported closing or switching checking accounts in the past two years, the main reason for doing so was a life event such as moving (29 percent), followed by bank fees (27 percent).

Advice for Consumers Based on the results of the Index, Bailey offered advice to help consumers improve their banking experience while getting the most out of their checking accounts:

With 60 percent of Americans saying they can’t imagine not having a debit card, consumers should have a plan of action if their card is misplaced or stolen. They should check to see if their bank offers on-the-spot debit card replacement and access to 24/7 customer service.

Only 13 percent of Americans are using reloadable prepaid cards. This relatively new product category offers many of the benefits of a checking account, such as the ability to receive a paycheck through direct deposit and to make purchases online, and can serve as an introduction to banking for the population that currently depends on alternative financial service providers.

Nearly two thirds (62 percent) of Americans say their bank is offering products and services that take advantage of new technologies like mobile apps and mobile deposit. That means that 38 percent of account holders may not be enjoying the conveniences that modern banks are providing. Consumers who want access to the latest banking technologies may want to consider trying a bank that offers their customers the ability to manage their finances in more ways.

Survey Methodology The study was conducted among a nationally representative group of consumers from August 25 through September 1, 2014. The sample size of 1,510 consumers has a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percent. The survey was hosted by global research company Angus Reid Public Opinion.

About Angus Reid Public Opinion Angus Reid Public Opinion is the Public Affairs practice of Vision Critical—a global research company. Vision Critical is a leader in the use of the Internet and rich media technology to collect high-quality, in-depth insights for a wide array of clients.

About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at approximately 1,300 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth®, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.tdbank.com. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US.

TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD”. To learn more, visit www.td.com.

Zillow Ranks Top Places Where Mom-and-Pop Landlords Make the Most Money

Homeowners turned landlords are most profitable in Oklahoma City, Okla. in short-term profit; San Jose, Calif., in the long-term profit, according to a Zillow Rentals Analysis

SEATTLE, Aug. 15, 2014, Zillow today named the Oklahoma City area the top place where mom-and-pop landlords stand to make the most money on their rental property on a month-to-month basis. A Zillow Rentals analysisi looked at the top 50 U.S metros to determine which areas provide the best short-term return on investment for landlords. Rental property owners in the Oklahoma City metro area can expect to profit $536 per month on the median home when comparing anticipated rental income versus their assumed monthly mortgage payment.

Mom-and-pop landlords are homeowners who have turned their personal home into a rental rather than selling it when they move.

Zillow has also named the best places for landlords interested in long-term profitsii. When looking at rental income, tax benefits and accumulated home equity (thanks to rapid home value appreciation), landlords in San Jose, California, make the most money: $8,927 per month, or $107,122 per year. The majority of this “profit” is derived from earned but unrealized equity distributed evenly each month over the next six years. Most, if not all, of this profit will not be realized until the landlord sells the property.

“When deciding if they should sell their home or rent it out, most mom-and-pop landlords are primarily concerned with whether or not they can cover their mortgage payment each month – they simply can’t absorb monthly losses like professional investors,” said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Stan Humphries. “However, the greatest returns are actually in markets like San Jose and San Francisco where there are short-term monthly losses, but the long-term earned equity makes them the best markets to invest in.”

Nationally, the Zillow Rent Index has increased 2.5 percent since June 2013 and 9.1 percent since June 2011. On a local level, the Zillow Rent Index has gone up as much as two to three times that amount over the past year in rental hotspots such as metro Chicago (+6.3 percent) and San Francisco (+11 percent).

Top 10 Markets for Long-term Financial Gain (includes home equity gains, tax benefits, and the difference between monthly rental income and mortgage payments after holding onto the property for six years on the median home. Also accounting for property/income taxes, maintenance and vacancy)

Zillow, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z) operates the largest home-related marketplaces on mobile and the Web, with a complementary portfolio of brands and products that help people find vital information about homes, and connect with the best local professionals. In addition, Zillow operates an industry-leading economics and analytics bureau led by Zillow’s Chief Economist Dr. Stan Humphries. Dr. Humphries and his team of economists and data analysts produce extensive housing data and research covering more than 450 markets at Zillow Real Estate Research. Zillow also sponsors the quarterly Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey, which asks more than 100 leading economists, real estate experts and investment and market strategists to predict the path of the Zillow Home Value Index over the next five years. Zillow also sponsors the bi-annual Zillow Housing Confidence Index (ZHCI) which measures consumer confidence in local housing markets, both currently and over time. The Zillow, Inc. portfolio includes Zillow.com®, Zillow Mobile, Zillow Mortgage , Zillow Rentals, Zillow Digs®, Postlets®, Diverse Solutions®, Agentfolio®, Mortech®, HotPads™, StreetEasy® and Retsly™. The company is headquartered in Seattle.

i For short-term financial gain, Zillow identified the top places where landlords make the most money on their rental property based on several assumptions including that the median valued property was purchased five years ago in May 2009, with a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, a 20 percent down payment, and an interest rate of 4.5 percent, roughly the rate that prevailed at the time. For tax purposes we assume that the homeowner is married with a gross annual income equal to the metro-area median and that the property is vacant at a rate equal to the metro-area average vacancy rate. Finally, we assess the net profit excluding equity earned if the homeowner rents out the property for an additional seven years during which home values and rents increase at their historic rates.

ii For long-term financial gain Zillow identified the top places where landlords make the most money on their rental property based on several assumptions including that the median valued property was purchased five years ago in May 2009, with a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, a 20 percent down payment, and an interest rate of 4.5 percent, roughly the rate that prevailed at the time. For tax purposes we assume that the homeowner is married with a gross annual income equal to the metro-area median and that the property is vacant at a rate equal to the metro-area average vacancy rate. Finally, we assess the net profit and accumulated home equity if the homeowner rents out the property for an additional seven years during which home values and rents increase at their historic rates.

MCLEAN, Va., June 13, 2014, Safanad Limited, a global principal investment firm, and Ron Packard, K12 Inc. founder and former CEO, today announced the launch of Pansophic Learning, a new company whose mission will be to provide access to a high quality education for every student worldwide.

Pansophic Learning immediately acquired from K12 Inc. several assets including an international brick and mortar private school, a higher education platform business and the K12 business in the Middle East. Additionally, Pansophic Learning acquired licenses to curriculum and technology. The management and staff of these acquired companies, operating out of three continents, will join Pansophic Learning upon the closing of this transaction. Pansophic Learning will expand and integrate these businesses with other targeted investments in educational products, services and schools from pre-K to college.

Pansophic Learning and its holding company, Safanad Education, a subsidiary of Safanad Limited, plan to make additional strategic and substantial education investments both in the United States and globally. Pansophic Learning will consider investments not only in the K-12 market, but also in post-secondary and early childhood education.

Packard will lead the company, based in Mclean, Virginia, as Chief Executive Officer and will be joined by Maria Szalay, as COO, and a select management team with a strong track record of building a large education company. Pansophic Learning intends to achieve the same success by investing capital as well as providing strategic and operating expertise to education related enterprises.

Kamal Bahamdan, CEO of Safanad, said, “Pansophic Learning exemplifies Safanad’s commitment to visionary and high-value investments in education that help improve the lives of children and students globally. We feel fortunate to be able to back Ron and his team who have proven entrepreneurial and leadership skills in the sector to embark on such an important mission.”

Packard stated, “Pansophic Learning is inspired by the promise that everyone should have access to a high-quality individualized education regardless of location or economic circumstances, both here in the United States and globally. We believe there are tremendous opportunities in both technology-based education and also in businesses that aren’t currently based around technology.”

Packard commented further, “We are fortunate to partner with Safanad, who shares our vision, and I am excited to return to my entrepreneurial roots with this new venture. Safanad’s extensive resources will allow us to pursue opportunities of all sizes.”

About Safanad Limited:

Safanad is a global principal investment firm that invests in real estate, private equity and public markets. As principal investors, Safanad preserves and grows wealth through carefully selected investments with aligned industry partners. With offices in New York, Dubai, London and Geneva, the firm seeks to identify global investment opportunities poised to deliver consistently attractive returns, where the firm’s capital and investment expertise support value creation. Safanad’s investment focus is primarily within the healthcare, education, financial services and retail sectors. The firm’s investment expertise is enhanced by its relationship with the Bahamdan Group, Safanad’s founding shareholder, which has over 60 years of experience in global principal investing and building strategic partnerships.

In “The Most Important Lessons in Economics and Finance,” Dr. Anthony M. Criniti IV uncovers the time-tested secrets of wealth management

PHILADELPHIA – In “The Necessity of Finance” he laid a foundation, introducing readers to the characteristics of the economic and financial worlds. Now, after multiple requests, Dr. Anthony M. Criniti IV is back with a follow-up book, “The Most Important Lessons in Economics and Finance” (ISBN 0988459523), uncovering the most significant truths of these two important sciences.

Dr. Criniti knows that reading these principles alone is not enough to master them; after many years of experience in the financial field, he knows that you must incorporate the lessons into your life while making the decision to take control of your own wealth—a process that can take a long time. But this helpful guide provides the best place to start, particularly for advanced level students and professionals who have already read “The Necessity of Finance.”

Through incorporating and summarizing the teachings of some of history’s top contributors to these two sciences, Dr. Criniti draws upon a wealth of experience to pass these lessons on to the next generation of practitioners in the worlds of economics and finance.

“I give these lessons to you from the bottom of my heart, with the best intentions, to reveal the secrets of two of the most important sciences….Mastery may take decades, but choosing not to try to master your own wealth can result in harsh consequences, as noted in my previous work,” says author Dr. Criniti.

DR. ANTHONY M. CRINITI IV is a former financial consultant and a current professor of finance at several universities. He earned a PhD in applied management and decision sciences, with a concentration in finance. A native of Philadelphia, he has also received many financially related designations, including CHFC, CLU, REBC, and RHU. Dr. Criniti is an active investor and has traveled the world studying various aspects of finance. He is also the author of the acclaimed finance book, The Necessity of Finance. Finally, Dr. Criniti has just released his new book, The Most Important Lessons in Economics and Finance.

World’s Largest Gathering of Angel Investors to Converge on Washington, DC

On the Docket: How Best to Deploy a Collective $23 Billion and Remain a Vital Source of Capital to Startups

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 27, 2014, Dramatic change in angel investing means both threats and opportunities for the angel investment community and the tens of thousands of entrepreneurs they support, according to the Angel Capital Association (ACA), the world’s leading professional association for angel investors. The global angel investing community will debate and assess this new environment at the 2014 ACA Summit, “Angel Impact: Entrepreneurial and Economic Success,”March 26-28, 2014, in Washington, D.C.

U.S. angel investors – individuals who support startup companies with passion, experience and funding – in 2012 invested nearly $23 billion in about 67,000 ventures, according to estimates by the Center for Venture Research at the University of New Hampshire. Their impact on the economy is huge, as the kinds of innovative startups angels invest in create all of the net new jobs in the country, according to reports by the Census Bureau and Kauffman Foundation.

“This is the place to be for both experienced and (especially) new angels who want to share great ideas, to learn unique investment practices from each other, and don’t want to be left unaware of how the seed stage investment landscape is changing – particularly from a regulatory perspective,” said David Verrill, ACA’s chairman. “We are hosting this meeting in Washington, D.C. for a reason – the Securities and Exchange Commission is not only assessing the underlying definition of who can be an accredited investor, but is also reviewing significant rules around the JOBS Act involving general solicitation and online crowdfunding platforms. Now more than ever is the time to join with angel colleagues to learn about, to shape, and to nurture this powerful economic engine.”

This ACA Summit is the world’s largest annual gathering of accredited angel investors. More than 700 angel investors, including those among the most active, sophisticated and successful in the world, will share expert advice and ideas. The Innovation Showcase, a related event at the Summit, will show angels in action when dozens of promising startups will receive invaluable advice and feedback from angels.

Discussions will include:

New and proposed federal rule changes, including a potential change to the definition of an “accredited investor,” which could dramatically reduce capital available to startups and eliminate as many as 60 percent of the current accredited investor population, dramatically affecting the economy and job creation.

Congressional leaders, including Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut), will discuss how they support angel investing and its vital role in innovation and the American economy.

Insight into tactics angels deploy to identify the best investment opportunities in top industries including life sciences and medical devices, information technology and internet, cleantech and cyber security.

2013 angel group deal trends, collected from more than 200 angel groups, will be shared by Rob Wiltbank, VP of research at the Angel Resource Institute (ARI), with the live release of the 2013 Halo Report, by ARI and Silicon Valley Bank, with data powered by CB Insights.

Compelling stories, including from Blackboard co-founder Michael Chasen, who will recount how he took his learning management system company from angel backing to IPO.

New accredited online platforms are disrupting the angel investing market. Leading platform companies including premier sponsor FundersClub will lead the discussion.

Which are the most angel-friendly countries in the world — and how is angel investing helping spur their economies?

To attend the ACA 2014 Summit, register here. Registration is open to ACA members and accredited individual investors from around the world, as well as accelerator and incubator leaders, university innovation professionals, economic development leaders, and public policy makers.

AboutAngel Capital Association(ACA)

The Angel Capital Association is the leading professional and trade association focused on fueling the success of accredited angel investors and portfolio companies in high-growth, early-stage ventures. ACA is the voice of the angel industry, providing comprehensive services in support of members working in angel groups, through portals and individually. ACA provides professional development, public policy advocacy and significant benefits and resources to its membership of 220 angel groups and more than 12,000 individual accredited investors. www.angelcapitalassociation.org; @ACAAngelCapital.

Stars Align and 2013 Proves to be Hottest U.S. IPO Market Since 2004 — Momentum Continues in 2014

— PE-backed IPOs dominate with most active year since 2007

— 2013: year of the healthcare IPO

— “Blurring” of technology and other industries lead to interesting implications for IPOs

NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 2013, The market environment delivered all of the right signals in 2013, presenting a long-awaited window of opportunity for IPOs. With a calmer economic climate, companies looking to go public were seemingly unphased by the 4th quarter government shutdown. This, combined with low volatility and a huge backlog of PE-backed IPOs seeking an exit, brought IPOs back with a bang: 222 IPOs in total will go effective in 2013 raising proceeds of $59.7 billion[1], with 76 deals in the public pipeline at the end of Q4. Activity and momentum in 2014 are only expected to continue.

“Investors have had the opportunity to engage with a variety of companies in the pipeline and their appetite for risk has returned,” said Jackie Kelley, for the global EY organization. “Unlike five years ago when, for the most part, tech companies were the only ones getting out, we now see pockets of activity in multiple sectors. This was a standout year for healthcare, for example. VC-backed companies came back to market and PE-backed IPOs will continue to push into 2014.”

Year over year, the number of IPOs increased 67%, from 133 in 2012 to 222 in 2013. Proceeds increased 28%. Quarter over quarter, there were 67 IPOs in Q4 2013 compared with 33 in Q4 2012, an increase of 103%, with proceeds up 171%; additionally, the number of IPOs in Q4 increased by 12%, and proceeds increased by 96% when compared with Q3 2013.

IPOs from around the world
The US continues to attract IPOs from around the world as companies seek to capitalize on the momentum of the US capital markets. For example, 36 out of 222 US IPOs were cross-border IPOs, ie 16% of US exchanges IPOs by deal number and 11% by capital raised (US$6.7b raised) were from foreign private issuers. This compares to 9% of US IPOs by deal number and 12% by capital raised in 2012.

The IPO market surge in the US, positive investor sentiment for this asset class and appetite for global investment makes the US attractive and much more competitive than their domestic markets.

PE-backed IPOs Dominate:PE activity provided a key source of IPO-related exits this year. As an indicator of the volume, in 2007, the peak year for PE-backed IPOs, there were 94 deals with proceeds of $20.3 billion. In 2013, by contrast, of the 222 IPOs, 94 were PE-backed and valued at $32.8 billion. An impressive 42% of all US IPOs were from PE backed companies.

Large offerings in the oil and gas sector drove the trend, collectively raising $5.8 billion. And despite relatively robust levels of exit activity over the last two years, there remains a significant backlog of PE exits that will continue to spur IPO activity into 2014. Multiple PE firms raised upwards of $10 billion in 2013, a sign of optimism for future deal making. While the increased interest in IPOs is a positive development for PE exits, an uptick in M&A will ultimately be required to fully liquidate the current PE portfolio.

Healthcare on Top:After being sidelined for almost 10 years, the healthcare sector came back to market in a big way in 2013. Most of the healthcare companies in the pipeline were smaller IPOs that really benefitted from the JOBS Act, legislation put in place over a year ago easing the IPO path for companies with post-IPO market cap size of less than $1 billion.

However, investors, chasing healthcare IPOs for their great performance and the substantive products they are developing, may not stick around if market volatility heats up again. Other sectors rounding out the top five include: Technology, Energy and Power, Real Estate and Financial Services.

Emerging IPO Companies Will Blur Distinctions Between Sectors:
The growing convergence between technology companies and other industries is creating new opportunities for companies to add shareholder value via the capital markets. “We expect to see more blurring of tech and other industries — including consumer products, media, real estate, financial services,” said Kelley. “Companies in these “blurred” industries, meaning they can cross over into two different sectors, are coming to market. They will have a choice under which sector to list and it’s likely that valuation will be a key driver.”

As more consumers utilize mobile and cloud technology to get what they want and faster, emerging IPO companies coming to market will be more focused on creating direct touch points with consumers, eliminating the middle man to bring suppliers and customers closer together, according to Kelley. She suggests we can expect to see more companies offering personalized products or a more personal user experience, such as making personal and business transactions faster, simpler and more secure; building customer trust; and delivering quality content and insight for users.

2014 Looking Ahead:
As 2014 rides the performance wave of 2013, the future looks bright for the IPO pipeline. Investors will look to the IPO market to drive portfolio growth. Inbound interest has piqued, with companies in Europe, the Middle East and South America looking to list on the U.S. markets –driven by the high valuations companies have garnered and good post-IPO performances over the past year.

“IPOs in 2014 will be a combination of household names, as well as disruptive, innovative companies. The backlog of PE-backed IPOs will continue to push into 2014 and companies blurred by sector convergence will drive market activity, all making for another exciting year,” concluded Kelley.

Notes to editors
All Data sourced from Dealogic.

About EY’s IPO offerings

EY firms are leaders in helping to take companies public worldwide. With decades of experience our global network is dedicated to serving market leaders and helping businesses evaluate the pros and cons of an IPO. We demystify the process by offering IPO readiness assessments, IPO preparation, project management and execution services, all of which help prepare you for life in the public spotlight. Our EY Global IPO Center of Excellence is a virtual hub which provides access to our IPO knowledge, tools, thought leadership and contacts from around the world in one easy-to-use source.

About EY
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

[1] Data are completed IPOs through December 5, 2013 and projected IPOs in December, 2013